1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with electrical interface devices designed to be mounted upon a towing vehicle so as to facilitate the electrical connection between the electrical systems of the towing vehicle and a towed vehicle. More particularly, the invention pertains to such interface devices which are designed to accommodate different types of towed vehicle electrical connectors, all without any modification of the interface device. In this fashion the interface devices of the invention may be used with towed vehicles having different types of electrical system connectors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, the rising popularity of outdoor recreational activities, such as boating and camping, has led to an increase in the use of trailers, campers, boats and other towed vehicles. Many state and federal laws require that towed vehicles have on-board electrical systems for providing brake lights, turn signals and other safety features. These on-board electrical systems are usually controlled by the electrical system of the towing vehicle, to actuate appropriate electrical signals on the towed vehicle. For example, when the brake lights on the towing vehicle are energized, the brake lights on the towed vehicle are simultaneously energized. This is also true for the turn signals and backup lights of the two vehicles.
Typically, a hard-wired electrical connection is installed to enable slaving the responsive electrical system of the towed vehicle to the electrical signals generated by the towing vehicle. Hard-wired electrical connections typically include a plurality of mating plug and receptacle connections to enable the user to readily make and break the electrical connection. Commonly, each vehicle includes a wiring harness, to which the mating plug and receptacle connections are secured. Each wiring harness includes a harness connector with male and/or female terminals in a pin and/or blade configuration in order to establish a releasable electrical interconnection between the wiring harness on the towing vehicle and a wiring harness on the towed vehicle. The towed vehicle typically employs a wiring harness having an array of male or female pin terminals for releasable insertion into a complemental array of male or female pin terminals connected to the wiring harness on the towing vehicle.
Early wiring harnesses comprised relatively simple harness connectors having four terminals arranged in a spaced, linear arrangement, mounted in a flat harness component. Such early connectors were sufficient for handling low current requirements of simple electrical systems. However, with the proliferation of ever more sophisticated towed vehicles, equipped with many more complex accessories, electrical harness connectors having six or seven wires are becoming common on both towing and towed vehicles. Furthermore, such modern-day harness connectors are often of circular design in order to effectively accommodate the more numerous terminals required for the additional wires.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,389 describes a unified connector interface device wherein provision is made for a circular connector in the form of an appropriately configured socket-type receptacle. While this device is suitable for use with towed vehicles having such circular connectors, it does not provide for flat connectors without modification. That is, in the ""389 patent, a cable with a flat coupler is normally plugged into the rear of the interface device in order to afford the proper electrical connection thereto. However, with a towed vehicle having a flat plug connector, it is necessary to detach this flat coupler and use it directly with the flat connector. This is not only troublesome, but also results in a condition where the attached electrical connectors of the towing and towed vehicles are in a suspended, exposed position where separation of and/or damage to the connectors can more readily occur.
The present invention overcomes the problems outlined above, and provides an improved electrical interface device designed for quick, easy connection between the electrical system of a towing vehicle and that of a plurality of differently configured towed vehicles, without any modification whatsoever of the interface device. In a preferred first embodiment, the interface device broadly comprises a body for mounting on the towing vehicle, the body having first and second ends; the first end presenting both a circular receptacle and a second linear or flat receptacle, with each of the receptacles including individual electrical terminals. The circular and flat receptacles are adapted to receive corresponding complemental electrical connectors forming a part of the electrical system of a respective towed vehicle. An electrical lead assembly is operatively coupled with the individual terminals and has a plurality of leads connectable to the electrical system of the towing vehicle. The lead assembly and terminals are coupled such that a complemental towed vehicle electrical connector attached to either of the receptacles will interconnect the electrical systems of the towing and towed vehicles.
In preferred forms, the circular receptacle is of the conventional variety and includes a central terminal as well as six circularly arranged terminals disposed about the central terminal. Of course, other terminal designs and/or terminal arrangements could also be provided. For example, a conventional adaptor can convert a conventional seven-round connector to a six-round connector. The flat receptacle is likewise preferably of conventional design and includes four linearly aligned terminals, three of such terminals being female while the remaining terminal is a male terminal. Advantageously, there are electrical wires coupling the terminals of the flat receptacle with certain of the terminals of the circular receptacle. Preferably, the shared electrical connections are connected in parallel.
In order to provide weather protection, the interface device has individually operable covers associated with the circular and flat receptacles, respectively. These individual covers are hingedly mounted to the main body of the device, and can be separately opened to allow access to the corresponding receptacle.
In a preferred second or alternative embodiment, the device is adapted for disengageable or removable coupling with an existing master connector substantially non-removably mounted on the towing vehicle in order to allow for the connection of the electrical systems of differently configured towed vehicles without any modification of the device. Broadly, the device comprises a first end presenting a first master connector and a second master connector, and a second end presenting a third interface connector. An alignment mechanism ensures proper alignment, and a locking mechanism avoids inadvertent uncoupling of the device from the existing master connector. In use, the second end of the device is coupled with the existing master connector, and an electrical connector of the towed vehicle is coupled with the first or second master connectors, thereby slaving the electrical system of the towed vehicle to that of the towing vehicle.